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J.. R. sT. JOHN HAND LOGS.

No. 8,074r `Patented May 61,V 1851 mllmlw kan mn A

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YAND B.

sT. JOHN.

HAND-Loo.

i Specification of Letters Patent No, 8,074, dated May 6, `1851.

ToaZZ whom t may concern: A

i Be it known that I, JOHN R. ST. JOHN, late of the city of Buffalo, inthe State of New York, now of theeity of 'New York, State of New York,engi-neer` `and printer,".have` invented, made, and applied `to usecertain new and `useful improvements -inthe fitting and @Onstruction .ofwhat are nautically known as"ha nd and F ship P logs and used fordenoting the rateinniiles per hour at which a Ship `,moves in thewater', which improvements I `term t St. Johns geared hand-log;77

.that :these improvementscomprise the combination 0f mechanicalmovements with the ,COmmOnlog-keel and the attachment to the 10g-line ofa meehanical substitute for the common? log-Ship or piece of wood at theendof thefliine.`

These improvements, on the common log, registerthe length Vof log linerun out, in given time, so as tofascertainthe rate .l ofspeed, in a morecertain manner, by the application, and combination, ofmechancal fnotbefore employed together, for

purposes.; and forwhfich improvements 1I received VLetters @Patent ofthe United Spams, t@ be `issuel .to `,la-.mes Renwck,

\ L. L. D., George F, Barnard, and 'Edward BQ St, John, all of the cityof New York, as the 1assignees `of me, thesaid JOHN ST. JOHN, and as thetrustees of the St. Johns @m1115385 and 116g yManu-facturir1g @our pany,of the city of TNew "York, and agreed ably to a deedof" trust` exeoutedby me on the twenty-sixth day of May, one thousand eight hundred andforty nine, and that the sind improvements arem :fully and' "Substamtially setforth, and shownfn the following 'deeeriptoa andfin thedra-wing annexed t6,

and Iriakingpazrt oftihisspecifi tion, where inthe Figi-11ml pla-,Figtien' partly open;` Fig.` 3,is section` an elevafhrough the llineAIB, f Fia 2- Fie- 4 is a .plan of Fig. 3, with the dial plate and,

glass removed, to show the internal positions ofthe operative parts,under the dial plate.

These four figures are all drawn at about the half Size oftheinstrument, with the parts employed, as place `for use. The F ig.

5, is a sectionalelevation of the substitute, adopted by `me, for thepiece of wood, usually known as the log shipf" and is similar, in form,to `a small parachute, orA Strong parasol; but will be herein designatedby `the nautical "term of the log ship,""to identify `it with theuse towhich it is `apas if in operation. The Fig. @,shows the same, asFig. 5,but with the becket ferrule, on the log st-aff, detached, as describedhere- 1 after, and the ship folded, as when drawing e In these two Figs.5

on board after use. andG, the log ship is shown,` asabeut `one.- siXthofthe proper size fer use. The detached figures are separately referredtopand the same letters and numbers, as marks of refer ence, apply tothe like parts in all the yseveral figures.

plied by me, and` is, in this Fig. 5 shown In these C, is'the mainframeof" metal,

with one` handle, D, and a seco-nd handle These handles are shown assecured (in the frame, but may be cast or made solid, with theframe. `Ontheupper `and outer corner of the handle E, is apivot l, carrying afourteen second log glass, F, madein the usual manner. n e. a, is ashaft, sustained by Vcenter screws 2, 2, going through the frame sdeaandtering-soglie@ `iiltlfle ends, S0 that `.100asa ness, 0r any unusualStrain, Shall .not @liee Vgage the shaft a, frein its plaee. This modeof mounting the roll shaft is shown septionally, in Fig. 9. y j 12, are'two flanches` east solid with' the shaft 0;, and turned and fitted, toreceive the heads, Z9, b. These have between them, trundle staves, .3,and colletivey ferm the veel G, for the 10g line. f At 6, 6, twoplecesAto form the top and bottom of a boX H, are castxor made with one side ofthe frame C, between that and the log reel, land inclesed `with a stripof l the'end of thefshaft.` a, for-med 'as a worni wheel c, which gearsAinto wheel ,Z, having `fifty-tive`teeth,"`ar.1d` Set on an arbe? 5, thei foot of which steps in a pivot.` lhefup` er end is prolonged throughthe top` 6, of the box H, so as to terminate as a Squared top, insidethe index .or dial boX Lwhich is secured by screws on the top of theboxH.v l

The squared top of the arbor `5, receives the first pinion wheel e,having` twelve teeth, which are beveled outward and downward,

and within the teeth, ,the underside is formed as a collar, `that liesinto a countersinkin the headof the governing lever g;

Thishas an eye, to lie around the Varlorrf, and a fulcrum at ll, in theside of the boX l. Between the arbor 5, and fulcrum ll,

a keeper spring n, overlies the lever g, and

keeps that down, and the pinion c, at the lowest point, on the arbor 5,except when the outer scale formed end 12, of the. lever g, is depresed,as hereafter described. Vithin the box l, a pivot step 8, in the center,takes the lower end of the arbor 7, that carries the counter wheel 7".rl`his is made with forty teeth, beveling outward and upward, to gearfair with the teeth in the pinion e, when that is raised on the arbor 5,by depressing the` outer end of the lever g. The top of the arbor 7, isdrilled into,

Y to receive a: button topped pin, coming down through the glass 13.This carries the index pointer, or hand, 9, which overlies the indexcard 10, the divisions on which will be explained hereafter. On the topof the box I, is a cover or hood i, havingva hinge on which it swings,to open or shut, and a commonbutton latch spring 14, to keep it shut,when not in use.

In the figs. 5, to 8, representing the substitute logship K, p, is thetop ofB a hollow tube or handle la, with a circular set of xed joints15, taking they top ends of the stretcher pieces Z, Z. These areconnected by stretcher braces 16, to the joints 17, of the sliding tuben, which slides loosely on the hollow tube 7c. The short staff or handlele, is formed with the lower end of the part p, and around it is a tubem, that slides on the staff 7c, and enters the lower end of the tube a,between that and the handle tube le, and is made slightly conical, tohold well between the tubes n, and 7c, at the point 18, like a circularwedge, yet to start easy by a jerk, and having two eyes o, 0, to whichthe two ends of a piece of log line 19, are attached and at the bight20, the outer end of the log line 4, is attached, as also the end of thestray and draw home line 21. The other end of this is attached throughan eye 22, to a prolongation p, of the tube 7c, above the joints 15, 15.g, g, are the external edges of the coverlng, on the stretchers Z, Z,which covering may be made of thick sheeting linen or light. sail duck,or any fit material and varnished.

At 7', 1s a small portion of lead, sew-ed on to the. inside, near or onone end of one of the stretchers, and exactly opposite, at '8, a portionof cork is attached.

The parts acting with the log line are shown sectionally and separately,in larger size, 1n the detached Figs. 7 and 8, and connected together,for use, in the collective sectional Fig. 5.

All the metal parts, except the yframes in the log reel and log ship,should be mad-e of brass, as this is the stil'est and strongest metal,in porportion to weight, that is vnot speedlly corroded, and destroyed,by the acsiondof salt water, excepting the spring and ian Theproportions, that give7 the .rate in miles per hour, by the indexpointer and card, are as follows: The-log line, rolled in successivefakesvlon the 4reel, will average about twenty-seven inches, as thecircumference of each fake, and fourteen seconds, in the log glass,bearing the same proportion to one hour of time, that four hundred andtwelve feet of log line, run out in fourteen seconds, bears to seventeennautical or geographical miles, in distance, omitting fractions) thetrain of gearing, between the log reel and counter wheel, will give oneentire revo-lation ofthe index hand, during fourteenV seconds, when theship is going at a speed of seventeen miles an hour, and in likeproportion, for any less rate of speed, as less line is run off thereel, inthe same time by the log glass. Should a ship be moving at morethan seventeen miles an I hour, more than one ent-ire revolution of theindex hand` will-be made, and whatever is then surplus, is to be addedto the index, which will give the rate of motion. per hour,

during the time o-f fourteen seconds. l/Vhen thus prepared, andadjusted, the instrument is to be used vin the following manner: 1t isintended, that one man shall hold the reel in both hands, so that hisright thumb shall readily press the scale piece, on the end vof thelever g, the log glass F, being in the situation shown by dotted lines,ony Fig. 2, the pivotl 1, sustaining it, outside the handle E, directly'over the forefinger of the man,

who sees that the 'index' pointer 9, is at 0,

and the sand all in the bottom of the glass. A second man throws the logship with a sufficiency of stray line to reach the water, and allow themotion of the vessel to draw thelog line taut, vthe conical tube fm,being l loo los

glass which presses down the scaley 12,. and

outer end of the lever g, raising the inner end, ofthe levertherebyputting the pinion c, into gear with the counter wheel f. The log line4, running off the reel, puts all the' parts in motion, and the log man,keeping all steady, watches the log glass, until the sand has run out,then instantly turns the glass with his forefinger; the keeper springZt, instantly depresses the lever g, and takes the pinion e, down, andout of gear withv the counter wheel f, which stops directly, leaving theindex pointer 9, at the point it had reached on the index card 10, atthe time the sand in the log glass had run out, and denoting the rate,per hour, in miles and fractions, at which the ship or vessel has teenseconds occupied by the sand running in thelog glass, the second man nowhauls home, on thelog line, this jerks the tubem, from between the tube7c and a, andI o'ii'` the handle 7c, leaving the logiship K, at libertytoturnend for end, and fold together, as itis shown in Fig. 6, withthestray line 2l,

`taking the connection to the log line, by

which itis drawn on boardthe vessel, as the lineiswound onto the reel,as now usually practiced.

The common hand log, as heretofore used, consists only in the log reeland line in a frame, 'the outer end of the line being attached to threeshort pieces, usually called the becket, or crowfoot of the line, two ofthese parts are permanently attached to a three cornered, or segmentalformed piece of thin wood, usually termed the log ship, thathas a smallpiece of lead attached to one edge, just enough to make the log shipfloat edgewise in the water, with one edge `ii-ush wit-h the surface;the third part of the becket, or crowfoot, `is usually attached to apeg, stuck into the lower angle, or curve, of the log ship, so that whenoverboard, the log ship and line are at right anglesto each other: This,when thrown overboard, runs the log line off the reel, but admits oflateral escape ofthe water, partly by the flatness of the surface, andpartly by the smallness of the size; so thatthe log ship is not sostationary in the water, but

that it follows the ship, in a more or less degrec, until the line ispulled home; this disengages the peg, at the lower angle,` and throwsthe log ship iat on the surface of the water, by the xed parts of lthebe'cket, near the upper edge, when it is easily hauledon board thevessel. Thelength of line run out, after the stray line is gone, in agiven number of seconds,` as marked by` knots, on the log line, andtimed by a sand glass, is usually assumed as a data, to ascertaintherate of the vessel through the water; but these modes are liable touncertainty and error, from miscounting the number of knots run out, andnot accurately allowing forfthe stray line, at the commencement, butmost importantly, from not starting tocount, or stopping the log line,and turning or noting the last sand of the log glass, at the sameinstant oftime, when either beginning or ending, or both: so that theactual rate of the vessel is very rarely even approximated to, by thesemeans. l i

Vith the gearing, attached as herein Vshown and describ'ed,betweenythelog reel and the index and glass, the length of the stray line, at thecommencement,` or ending the operation, is of no consequence; as if thelever g, is depressed, at the same instant the glassl F, is turned, thelog ship, having hold on the water, runs olf a given A United States--length `of line, in the fourteen seconds, and the lever being set freeby the log man, at the instant the same has run down, the length of logline, run off in the` time, moving the gearing as it runs 0H, 'gives therate in miles per hour, independent of what line has run olf, before theglass is turned, to commence running the sand, and equally independentof what log line may run out, after the sand has run down, provided thelog man lets go the lever g, as the last sand descends, as all the linethat runs oifthe reel afterwards, has not any elfect on theA gearing,and recording parts,-of the machine; so that these beginning, and endingtheir work, withthe run of the sand, in the log glass, denotes the rateof the ship by mechanical means, acting with mathematical accuracy;though I do not mean to confine or limit myself to the mode shown, ofarranging the gearing to a fourteen second log glass, but to vary boththe glass and the gearing, the drum included, by calculating the gearingto fit the glass, whether running a more or less number of seconds, soas to obtain the same result, namely a mathematical measure of a shipsspeed through the` Awater, by the application of similar mechani-` calmeans to the common log reel and line already in use, and employed witha more mechanically elfective lo-g ship such as herein described, whichhas both a larger spread, and deeper hold in the water, with a concaveface, acting against the water, by which any lateral escape of the wateris very much lessened, if not entirely prevented; and the log shipremains so nearly stationary, while in use, that the effect of the pullon the line, by the motion of the vessel,d oes `not cause any materialerror, 1n counting 105 the rate of the vessels speed. In case ofaccident to the mechanism, the log reel may still Vbe used, with a linemarked in knots, in `the usual manner, either with the parachute, or thecommon log now in use.

All the parts, taken separately, and described herein, as used by me forthis piu'- pose, are well known, and have long been applied to otheruses; but I do not know of any invention in whichthe application,arrangement, and combination of these parts has been used, to produce aninstrument, that through mechanical means, denotes with nearly or quitemathematical certainty, the rate, in miles per hour, `at which a ship12o or vessel travels through the water, during a fixed, limited, andknown time. I therefore claim as new, and of my own invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the i l. The arrangement of thelog glass E,lever Lr/,pinion e, and wheel whereby the motion given tothe clock work by the reel G, is communicated to the index 9 during adefinite period of time, determined by turning the log glass on or offthe lever g, the parts being so proportioned and the dial so divided,that the index, moving while the sand is running in the log` glass F,shows the rate of speed at which the vessel is moving per hour of time,during fourteen seconds, or any other known space of time; the parts lbeing arranged, and operating substantially as described, or n a mannerequivalent to produce the same results, by like means.

2. rfhe application of a parachute K, to the purpose of a log ship, andthe combination therewith of the cylindrical wedge m, or its equivalent7to enter between the tubes 7c, and n, to keep the log ship K, spread,when in the water,y and disengage when hauled on to fetch home so thatthe log ship Closes, and turns end for end in the water, and is easilyhauled on board, said log ship being used with the reel and registeringparts herein described and shown, or with any other means of supplyingand determining the amount of line run out, during a known period oftime, substantially as described and shown.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name' in the city of NewYork, this seventh day of December one thousand eightl hundred and fortynine.

JOHN R. ST. JOHN.

Wrt-nesses W. SERRELL, LEMUEL lV. SERRELL.

